Obama as Othello ; A Shakespeare Parody. Act 3 Scene 2 - Iago and Brabantio

We are now into Act 3 of our little Shakespearean melodrama. If you missed the beginning then just click on this link to take you back to the campaign trail.

Obama as Othello ; A Shakespeare Parody. Act 3 Scene 2

Iago and Brabantio

In the TV studio Richard Iago is interviewing Democratic senator and senior Obama advisor Harold Brabantio.

It is now over 8 months into the Presidency

Iago: Welcome once again to 'Politics Now' with me Richard Iago sponsored by our good friends at 'Corn-U-Copia' the foot ointment solution and the only way to get you 'Walkin on Sunshine!'

Here with me tonight is Senator Harold Brabantio to discuss President Obama's first few months in charge. Hello Harold

Brabantio: Hello Rich. How you doing?

Iago: I'm fine thanks Harold. So what say you now to Othell'Obama's Presidential reign so far? A trail of broken promises?

Brabantio: Don't know what you're talking about

Iago: Well! How about the issue of lobbyists then?

Brabantio: What about lobbyists then?

Iago: The White House is full of them.

Brabantio: It always is.

Iago: But Obama said no more lobbyists

Brabantio: That's right. There aren't any in the White House

Iago: Really? What about William J. Lynn and Cecilia Munoz for starters

Brabantio: They ain't lobbyists

Iago: No?

Brabantio: Nope! They're government employees

Iago: Who happened to represent Raytheon and the National Council for la Raza?

Brabantio: They don't now!

Iago: Are you telling me they ain't pushing for policy decisions sympathetic to their so-called former employers

Brabantio: Of course not. They're finished with all that. They work for the government now.

Iago: And just who does the government work for?

Brabantio: I don't know what you mean.

Iago: That's twice you've said that.

Brabantio: No it ain't. The last time I said I didn't know what you were talking about. This time I said I don't know what you mean

Iago: Is Karzai still taking his medication?

Brabantio: Eh? What? Oh I see! A quick change of subject

Iago: I presume you know what I mean

Brabantio: Yeah! But I ain't talking about it

Iago: Why not?

Brabantio: Patient confidentiality. It's between him and his Afghan quack

Iago: C'mon Harold! We commit another 17,000 troops to Afghanistan with another 30,000 in the pipeline at a cost of at least 30 billion dollars or more and you won't tell us whether the country's ruler is taking his happy pills?

Brabantio: I'm sure he's happy enough with our support

Iago: I hear he's talking to the Taliban

Brabantio: Well! At least he ain't talking to himself

Iago: I might as well be talking to myself to get a straight answer here. But really Senator, is this how this is all gonna end. Negotiations with the guys we kicked out?

Brabantio: We didn't kick them out. We kicked Al Qaeda out

Iago: But surely.....

Brabantio: No! Those guys left when we started some serious bombing. It's not our fault that they ran away.

Iago: So! Are you saying that President Bush would have negotiated with the Taliban.

Brabantio: He already had as you well know Rich and so did Bill Clinton. So why not President Obama?

Iago: But how is General Cassio McChrystal reacting to all this political manoeuvring?

Brabantio: General McChrystal is extremely loyal to the Commander-in-Chief and supports him all the way

Iago: So no dissent from the military

Brabantio: Absolutely not! Cassio wouldn't say a bad word against Othello.

Iago : Very well Harold. We'll take your word on that one. But what else has Obama lied about? How about Guantanamo? Still open for business last time I looked and no date for wrapping up the show.

Brabantio: Erm, we're working on that. It's extremely difficult you know.

Iago: What's so difficult about it. Just transfer them to the US mainland

Brabantio: It's Castro

Iago: What's Castro got to do with it?

Brabantio: He's a Communist

Iago: So what?

Brabantio: So he can't be trusted

Iago: Can't be trusted about what?

Brabantio: About anything of course. He's a goddam Communist for pete's sake

Iago: But how does this relate to the Guantanamo Bay complex?

Brabantio: Who knows? But we can't take any chances.

Iago: On what?

Brabantio: On anything. So we'll need to tread carefully over the closure.

Iago: OK Harold I'm obviously wasting my time going down that blind alley. Let's leave it at that and move on to the economy. What's happening with GM?

Brabantio: President Obama is quite clear on that. He's pursuing more environmentally-friendly polices on genetically modified crops and........

Iago: No! No! GM as in General Motors. We ain't talking here about some Frankensteinian artichokes you know!

Brabantio: Oh! I see. Well I dunno, we could combine the two policies you know and run our automobiles on cabbage.

Iago: I don't fancy that coming outa my back end on a Sunday drive senator. Let's be serious now. What about General Motors and of course Chrysler too?

Brabantio: We aim to save both General Motors and Chrysler. We have introduced the 'Car Allowance Rebate Scheme' and are helping the negotiations with Fiat.

Iago: Well that's just dandy ain't it? 'Cash for Clunkers' and a fire-sale to the Italians!

Brabantio: We'll save jobs

Iago: Well you'd better cos unemployment just hit 10%

Brabantio: We're working on it

Iago: Ain't you the lucky one. You gotta job! So you're nationalising everything in sight?

Brabantio: Don't be ridiculous!

Iago: You've nationalised the car industry, you've nationalised the home-mortage sector and now you're gonna nationalise the Healthcare system. Surely this is Socialism gone mad senator. This is state control and you guys can't keep your hands off anything.

Brabantio: You're off your rocker Rich, or should I say 'Rush'. We ain't nationalising nothing and that's a promise.

Iago: Ah-Ha! Another Democrat promise and a double negative to boot. Are you gonna break that one too just like all the rest.

Brabantio: So what's the rest then? Put up or shut up will ya!

Iago: Oh I dunno Harold, on horror's head, horrors accumulate. How about 'Sunlight Before Signing', 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell', ending income tax for the poor elderly, tax credits for businesses, public debate on healthcare.......

Brabantio: I'll talk about Healthcare.

Iago: ... wiretaps without warrants, Cap and Trade, earmarks on bills, the Armenian Genocide, he sure kept quiet about that on his Turkey visit.

Brabantio: Now you know that Rahm Emmanuel wasn't pleased about you bringing that up

Iago: What? You gonna set 'Rahmbo' on me senator?

Brabantio: You're just loving this ain't you?

Iago: I ain't finished Harold, I'm on a roll here. If you'll forgive me for my scattering and unsure observance perhaps. But lets talk about job tax credit, capital gains tax elimination, taxes on tobacco, 159% increase on that baby and even on tanning salons of all things, what about the folk in the North this time of year? And let's talk about NAFTA, let's talk about....

Brabantio: You've realy got it in for Obama haven't you. You've always hated him

Iago : Wow! That sounds like a parley to provocation. But c'mon Harold, let's talk about ........

Brabantio : Let's talk about saying goodbye and let you get on with your grocery list.

Iago: OK! But before you go Harold. You said you wanna talk about Healthcare. Fine! Do you think the proposed Healthcare bill will get through Congress?

Brabantio: I'm sure most of it will.

Iago: How can you be so confident about that.

Brabantio: Because it's over 1,000 pages long that's why! Something that size has gotta get a big chunk through.

Iago: I wouldn't be so sure sir as something this un-American is bound to hit real opposition. Where is the consumer choice? Are you going to take people's choice of doctor and their medical plan away Harold?

Brabantio: Not at all

Iago: What about the insurance companies and the employer healthcare offerings?

Brabantio: Competition ain't un-American and hitting insurance companies is hugely popular. Keeps them crooks honest

Iago: So how much is this gonna cost us then senator

Brabantio: Well we don't know yet but it'll be worth it

Iago: Worth the tax rises?

Brabantio: We can't say for certain .

Iago: On the wealthy?

Brabantio: We don't know that yet.

Iago: There's a lot you don't know. Tell me Harold! Will Karzai be able to go for the Public Option?

Brabantio: That does it! I'm outa here!!

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